Near-infrared transillumination for the imaging of early dental decay

Abstract

A method for detecting tooth decay and other tooth anomalies wherein a tooth is transilluminated with a near-infrared light source preferably in the range from approximately 795-nm to approximately 1600-nm, more preferably in the range from approximately 830-nm to approximately 1550-nm, more preferably in the range from approximately 1285-nm to approximately 1335-nm, and more preferably at a wavelength of approximately 1310-nm, and the light passing through the tooth is imaged for determining an area of decay in the tooth. The light source is a fiber-optic bundle coupled to a halogen lamp or more preferably a superluminescent diode, and the imaging device is preferably a CCD camera or a focal plane array (FPA).

1 . A method for detecting tooth anomalies, comprising: 
 transilluminating a tooth with light having a wavelength in the range from approximately 795-nm to approximately 1600-nm; and    imaging light passing through said tooth for determining an anomaly in said tooth.    
   
   
       2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said light has a wavelength in the range from approximately 830-nm to approximately 1550-nm.  
   
   
       3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said light has a wavelength in the range from approximately 1285-nm to approximately 1335-nm.  
   
   
       4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said light has a wavelength of approximately 1310-nm.  
   
   
       5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 filtering said light to remove extraneous light.    
   
   
       6 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein transilluminating a tooth comprises directing light from a near-infrared light source at a surface of said tooth.  
   
   
       10 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein transilluminating a tooth comprises simultaneously directing light from a near-infrared light source at a surface of a plurality of teeth.  
   
   
       15 - 25 . (canceled)  
   
   
       26 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein imaging light passing through said tooth comprises determining an area of decay in said tooth.  
   
   
       27 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein imaging light passing through said tooth comprises determining a crack in said tooth.  
   
   
       28 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein imaging light passing through said tooth comprises determining an anomaly around a composite restoration in said tooth.  
   
   
       29 - 30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . A method of detecting tooth decay, comprising: 
 transilluminating a tooth with a near-infrared light source having a wavelength in the range from approximately 795-nm to approximately 1600-nm;    detecting intensity of light passing through said tooth at a plurality of spatial positions;    comparing detected light intensity for at least a portion of said spatial positions; and    designating an area of said tooth exhibiting a lower detected light intensity than an at least partially surrounding area as an area of tooth decay.    
   
   
       32 . A method of detecting tooth decay, comprising: 
 transilluminating a tooth with a near-infrared light source having a wavelength in the range from approximately 795-nm to approximately 1600-nm;    detecting intensity of light passing through said tooth at a plurality of spatial positions;    developing a spatial profile of said detected light intensity;    using said spatial intensity profile, identifying areas in said tooth exhibiting intensity gradients; and    designating said area of said tooth exhibiting intensity gradients as an area of tooth decay.    
   
   
       33 . (canceled)  
   
   
       34 . A method as in  claim 31 , wherein said light has a wavelength in the range from approximately 830-nm to approximately 1550-nm.  
   
   
       35 . A method as in  claim 31 , wherein said light has a wavelength in the range from approximately 1285-nm to approximately 1335-nm.  
   
   
       36 . A method as in  claim 31 , wherein said light has a wavelength of approximately 1310-nm.  
   
   
       37 . A method as in  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 filtering said light with one or more polarizing filters to remove extraneous light not passing through said tooth.    
   
   
       38 . A method as in  claim 31 , wherein transilluminating a tooth comprises directing light from a near-infrared light source at a surface of said tooth.  
   
   
       39 - 67 . (canceled)  
   
   
       68 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said light has a wavelength in the range from approximately 830-nm to approximately 1550-nm.  
   
   
       69 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said light has a wavelength in the range from approximately 1285-nm to approximately 1335-nm.  
   
   
       70 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said light has a wavelength of approximately 1310-nm.